I don't know how true this is:
"I'd be very interested in what the true experts on this subject have to say on the matter, but my impression from reading and observations from collecting lead me to believe that Birmingham was the primary source of innovation and expertise."
Sure, the A&D action came out of Birmingham along with the Scott spindle, Westley's toplever, Greener Facile Princeps, and the first ejectors (Needham's).
But the Purdey bolt, the Holland-style sidelock action, and the Southgate ejector system all came out of London.
So I don't know which town contributed more. I would have to go through The British Shotgun 1 & 2 to really see.
Regarding expertise, I would bet that the largest number of top gunmakers were in London. For a tradesman, I think that was where the big money was to be made. And in my experience, talent follows money.
Guys like John Robertson and Thomas Southgate could have worked for anyone and lived anywhere. They chose London for a reason. I bet this reason was money.
I don't think any of the makers in the British trade were using actions made in Belgium. BBls - perhaps, maybe damascus bbls on their lower-grade guns. But not on their good to best-grade guns. They had guys in England who could do it.
As for buying actions in Birmingham and finishing them in London, I'm sure it happened. I think Purdeys bar-in-woods actions started out in Birmingham
But that doesn't really bother me. A lot goes into a gun after you have the rough parts. It's all this time, skill, & expertise that separate a Best gun from a nice gun.
OWD
